Hamas condemns US 'crime' of killing Soleimani

The militant Hamas group in Gaza on Friday condemned the killing of General Qassem Soleimani saying he had "a prominent role in supporting the Palestinian resistance in all fields." Hamas spokesman Hazem Qasem said the "crime reflects the American recklessness in the region and its violation of state sovereignty."

Iran has long supported Palestinian militant groups, including Gaza's Hamas rulers and particularly the smaller Islamic Jihad group. Hamas fell out with Iran after the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, losing millions of dollars in monthly assistance, but Tehran is said to have continued its military support to Hamas' armed wing.

Tensions have run high in Gaza since Israel's targeted killing of an Islamic Jihad commander last month, which set off a brief two-day bout of fighting. Hamas, which has been negotiating a period of calm with Israel through Egyptian mediators, stayed on the sidelines. Hamas is in a severe financial crisis and appears to get most of its aid from Qatar, making it less likely that it would rally to Tehran's side in a regional conflict. But Islamic Jihad, still smarting from the recent fighting, could be keen to join in any regional conflict by firing rockets.